Thursday, December 08, 2005

45th Class Reunion

This past October our high school class of 1960 had their 45th class reunion.I didn't go.

I don't know why I chose not to go. I think partially is because I am not the same person I was then. Back then I was on the wild side. Now, at age 64, I am fairly well tamed. I was unsure, just how I would handle myself, would I fall back into my old wild personality, since that would be what a lot of them would be expecting? And, I think many of my ex-classmates tend to be very materialistic and pretentious - so, I would probably turn green with envy.

From after high school I developed into a timid and shy type of person, well, after my Navy time, I did. I don't like big group get-togethers, so I have not been to a high school reunion yet. Living in my hometown I am see my some of my old student friends fairly often, and one that I keep in communication with is the social type that seems to know the news on everybody, so I am not missing their progress or failures... but I have no idea how most of them developed in their aging process. I feel certain I pass them in the streets often and I do not recognize them, and they like-wise, but at times, I have been called over and say, "Aren't you Eddie?" or I may do the same to them. There are several that I keep in communication with by phone or email - well, several minus one, one just died.

Although I had no desire to meet them person to person for a few moments of being awkward, I am interested in what they look like now. So, when a picture book was offered of this year's reunion I without hesitation sent my money to the committee that was handling the books.

I received the book today. Some of the people I recognize because their features clung to their faces... others just look the same as they did in high school. But many I just didn't recognize at all - it looked like a grandparents' convention. But even if the pictures were of these elderly people, you could tell their high school personalities came out, you could see the smirks, the wise-cracks coming out of the side of their mouths, and the wide open mouths gee-hawing laughing.The back of the book had a memorial for the dozen or so that have died so far. I bet the next reunion, which will be the 50th, the number will number on the memorial page will probably more than double. The rest of the reunions will be a count down of the survivors.

Which reminds me, last August my 85 year old mother-in-law went to her reunion. They have a reunion every year. A couple years ago, because their number has dwindled agree to just meet at a certain restaurant the first Saturday of every August. My mother-in-law went and was the only one that showed up.

It is not as bad as it appeared. I think two were put in nursing homes and one just forgot.